We Are The Ship: The Story of Negro League Baseball
Written and Illustrated by: Kadir Nelson
Published by Jump at the Sun/Hyperion Books for Children in 2008.
Coretta Scott King Award Winner in 2009.
Summary:
This book is about the Negro Baseball League. It begins by talking about the discrimination against Negros and therefore Negroes started Negro only teams. It talks about how Negro baseball was different from regular baseball because in Negro baseball it was more of an anything goes type of play. It talks about how traveling was difficult because there were many places that would not serve Negros food or let them stay at hotels. It talks about how Negro team owners did not make much and it was more a hobby of theirs rather than a career. The Negro League would play the Major League in the off season. After WWII, although the Negro League had lost some players to the war, popularity went up. The Major Leagues wanted some of the really good Negro players, but wouldn't admit it until Jackie Robinson. This was a victory for the Negros, however, it led to the demolish of the Negro Baseball League. The Major Leagues started signing more and more Negroes after Jackie Robinson.
Reading Level:
Lexile Measure: 900L
Grade Level Equivalent: 6.2
Interest Level: Grades 3-5
Electronic Resources:
We Are The Ship
This link leads to the book's official website. It has an about the author, about the book, making of the book, and traveling exhibit sections. This is useful to both students and teachers who are interested in this book.
Kadir Nelson
This link leads to a youtube video about the book. Nelson talks about the first painting he did about the Negro Baseball League, which was his inspiration for writing the book. This is useful for students who are looking to learn more about the book and Nelson's view on his own writing.
Teaching Strategies:
Teachers can use this story to teach students about social studies history and the separation between whites and blacks.
Suggested Delivery:
I would use this book as a read aloud because some of the concepts may be difficult for students to understand especially for students who know nothing about baseball.
Key Vocabulary:
Wit, Genuine, Consistently, Precision, Unsavory, Barnstormed
Reading Strategies:
Before Reading:
Have students fill out the K and W sections of a KWL chart about what they know and want to know about the negro baseball league and segregation.
During Reading:
Have students look at the pictures to help guide and understand the reading.
After Reading:
Have students fill out the L section of the KWL chart about what they learned about the negro baseball league and segregation.
Writing Strategies:
Have each student choose a photograph to research and write about additional information not told in the story.
The Great Migration: Journey to the North
Written by: Eloise Greenfield
Illustrated by: Jan Spivey Gilchrist
Published by Amistad in 2011.
Educational, Engaging, Historical, Informative, Intriguing
Summary:
This story is about the Great Migration of African Americans from the south to the north. It is told from many points of view such as a man's, woman's, girl's, boy's.
Reading Level:
Lexile Measure: 730L
Grade Level Equivalent: 4.5
Interest Level: Grades 1-4
Electronic Resources:
Poetry at Play
This link tells about Greenfield and her writing style and where it comes from. There is also a interview with Greenfield about writing children's poetry. This is useful for students who would like to learn more about how to write poetry.
Poetry for Children
This link gives a summary of the book and medals it has won. It also gives prereading questions, suggests for reading poems out loud, activities for the subject areas of math, social studies, and writing, and finally it has a list of related books. This is useful for teachers to help them plan lessons based on this book and book topic.
Teaching Strategies:
Teachers can use this story to teach a social studies history lesson about the Great Migration.
Suggested Delivery:
I would use this book as a read aloud. This book has a lot of emotion and would be great for demonstrating to students how to read with expression.
Key Vocabulary:
Ku Klux Klan, Complaint, Newcomers, Courage, Conductor, Seperate
Reading Strategies:
Before Reading:
Have students fill out the K and W sections of a KWL chart about what they know and want to learn about the Great Migration.
During Reading:
Have students look at the pictures. How do they help enhance the understanding of the poems?
After Reading:
Have students fill out the L section of the KWL chart about what they learned about the Great Migration.
Writing Activity:
Have students write a poem about the Great Migration. It can be a summary of the story or an add on to the story.
A Full Moon is Rising
Written by: Marilyn Singer
Pictures by: Julia Cairns
Published by Lee & Low Books in 2011.
Diverse, Discriptive, Insightful, Magnificent, Thought-Provoking
Summary:
This book is a group of poems put together. Each poem is about the full moon and how it is viewed by different people and cultures around the world.
Reading Level:
Lexile Measure: 625
Grade Level Equivalent: 3.5
Interest Level: 1-4
Electronic Resources:
Marilyn Singer
This link leads to Singer's website. It categorizes her books by poetry, picture, fiction, non-fiction, and novels. You can search all her books under these categories. It gives a blurb next to the picture of each book. It also has a biography about Marilyn. This is useful for students who are looking to learn more about Singer and read more of her books.
Moon Phases
This link leads to a diagram of the phases of the moon along with an explanation of the diagram. It gives information about what causes a full moon. This is useful to students who are looking to learn more about the moon, the topic of the book.
Teaching Strategies:
Teachers can use this story to teach science and about the full moon and why everyone in the world sees the same moon, but at different times of the day.
Teachers can use this story to teach social studies and about how different cultures view the same thing, the full moon, differently.
Suggested Delivery:
I would use this book as a read aloud because there may be many questions about the story especially about the new concepts and tier 3 vocabulary. This would lead to a continual discussion throughout the story.
Key Vocabulary:
Debut, Lunar Pull, Sukkah, Fragrant, Astronomer, Silhouetted, Satellite
Reading Strategies:
Before Reading:
Have students fill out the K and W sections of a KWL chart about what they know and want to know about full moons and cultures around the world.
During Reading:
Have students look at the pictures in order to help their understanding of the poems and the difficult vocabulary.
After Reading:
Have students fill out the L section of the KWL chart about what they learned about full moons and cultural reactions to the full moon.
Writing Activity:
Have students write their own poem about the full moon and their reactions to it.
Not My Dog
Written by: Colby Rodowsky
Illustrated by: Thomas F. Yezerski
Published by Farrar Straus Giroux in 1999.
Charming, Heartfelt, Evolving, Inspirational, Realistic
Summary:
This story is about a girl named Ellie who really wanted a puppy, but her parents wouldn't let her have one until she was nine. A few months before she turned nine, all excited for her new puppy, her parents tell her that her Great Aunt Margaret needs to give up her dog and that will be Ellie's. Ellie was heartbroken. She wanted her own puppy, not a hand-me-down dog. However, she gets to know the dog and learns to love him.
Reading Level:
Lexile Measure: 770L
Grade Level Equivalent: 6.2
Interest Level: 3-5
Electronic Resources:
Colby Rodowsky Review
This link leads to a review of Colby Rodowsky as a writer and her style of writing. There are also individual reviews of each of Rodowsky's books. This is useful for students who like Rodowsky's writing.
Not My Dog Summary
This link leads to a summary of the book. This summary is better than the cover. The cover does not tell much about the story, but this summary is in depth. This is useful for students who want to learn about the book before they read it.
Teaching Strategies:
Teachers can use this story to show how people change based on events.
Suggested Delivery:
I would use this book as an independent read. This book with an introduction of vocabulary would be an easy read. Most of the difficult context of this book has to do with knowledge about dogs.
Key Vocabulary:
Ruffling, Rehearsal, Scowl, Pavilion, Hymn, Snarling
Reading Strategies:
Before Reading:
Have students look at the cover and the title and flip through the pictures and make a prediction about what they think the book will be about.
During Reading:
Have students make five discussion questions about the story.
After Reading:
Have students get into small groups and have a literacy discussion about the story.
Writing Activity:
Have students write about a time they were in a similar situation as Ellie with not recieving something that was not exactly what they wanted. Did they handle the situation the same as Ellie or not?
Paths to Peace: People Who Changed the World
Written by: Jane Breskin Zalben
Published by Dutton Children's Books in 2006.
Teacher's Choice Award in 2007.
Educational, Fascinating, Historical, Informative, Insightful
Summary:
This book is about sixteen people in chronological order and how their lives led to a more peaceful world. Each person has a page written about them. The page begins with a setting of the time period and place. It tells about the person and what they did to make the world more peaceful. The sixteen people include: Ralph Waldo Emerson, Mahatma Gandhi, Albert Einstein, Eleanor Roosevelt, Ralph Bunche, Mother Teresa, John Fitzgerald Kennedy, Anwar El-Sadat, Cesar Chavez, Elie Wiesel, Martin Luther King Jr., Anne Frank, The Dali Lama, Wangari Maathai, Aung San Suu Kyi, and Princess Diana.
Reading Levels:
Lexile Measure: 1150L
Grade Level Equivalent: 9.5
Interest Level: Grades 6-8
Electronic Resources:
Kids Need to Read
This link leads to a site that has quotes about peace from famous peace activists, like the one in this book. It also gives titles of other books about peace. This is useful for students who are interested in learning about peace.
Jane Breskin Zalben
This link leads to the author's website. She gives a blurb for all her books. She also has activities on writing, illustrating, and making poetry. This is useful for students who are interested in learning to write and like her writing style and for students who would like to read more of her books.
Teaching Strategies:
Teachers can use this story for social studies as a lesson about people who made the world more peaceful.
Suggested Delivery:
I would use this book as a read aloud because there are many difficult concepts that may need to be further explained.
Key Vocabulary:
Transcendentalism, Philosophy, Resonates, Nuclear, Encapsulated, Humanitarian
Reading Strategies:
Before Reading:
Have students discuss who and how people changed the world through peace. Can they think of any people on the top of their head? Did they think of some people that are not in the book?
During Reading:
Have students discuss how the quote relates to the page on each person. How does the quote specifically describe the famous person?
After Reading:
Have students discuss all the ways that people changed the world through peace. Are there some people that they think affected the world more positively than others?
Writing Activity:
Have students pick a person from the book and research more information about them. Write a paper about the person using information they have found without plagiarising that was not in the book.
When You Reach Me
Written by: Rebecca Stead
Published by Wendy Lamb Books in 2009.
Newbery Medal Winner in 2010.
Addictive, Futuristic, Intriguing, Memorable, Unexpected
Summary:
This story is about a girl, Miranda, who looses her best friend, Sal, after he is punched in the stomach by some kid, Marcus. She then starts to get letters sent to her. They tell her what will happen in the future, and then the things do occur. She is concerned and confused by these letters, but does not tell anyone about them. Through a long series of events with an unexpected ending, the letters make sense and Miranda and Sal become friends again.
Reading Level:
Lexile Measure: 750L
Grade Level Equivalent: 4.6
Interest Level: Grades 6-8
Electronic Resources:
Rebecca Stead Website
This link leads to Rebecca Stead's website. It tells her how to contact her, has a link to her blog, has other books she has written, gives blurbs about her books and what awards they have won, and leads to a site where you can buy educator guides. This link would be useful for students who are interested in learning about other books she has written and useful for teachers who want and are willing to buy educator guides.
Rebecca Stead Talks
This link leads to a youtube video of Rebecca Stead talking about the book. First she gives a summary, then she talks about an author she met and liked, then she talks about how she writes, then she talks about the setting and why it was set in NYC, finally she talks about her favorite places in NYC. This would be useful to students who want to learn more about the author and her thought process as she writes.
Teaching Suggestions:
Teachers can use this story to show students a writing that is not realistic fiction.
Suggested Delivery:
I would have students read this book independently. This book is an easy read with easy to understand concepts. Any difficult concepts are explained thoroughly.
Key Vocabulary:
Theories, Gagged, Unpredictable, Perspective, Teleportation, Hypnotizing
Reading Strategies:
Before Reading:
Have students talk about the quote by Albert Einstein that is in the beginning of the book. What do they think it means? How do they think it will relate to the book based on the back cover summary?
During Reading:
Have students make predictions throughout the book. Have them fix predictions as they learn new information and make new predictions as they continue to read.
After Reading:
Have students discuss the ending of the story and how it related to topic throughout the story. Did they notice the foreshadowing as they read?
Writing Activity:
Have students write about a time in there life where one event lead to a bunch of other events. Relate it back to the story and how the one punch lead to the almost death of Sal and the actual death of the laughing man.
The Dreamer
Written by: Pam Muñoz Ryan
Illustrated by: Peter Sís
Published by Scholastic Press in 2010.
The Pura Belpré Award Winner in 2011.
Diverse, Heart-Wrenching, Insightful, Intense, Thought-Provoking,
Summary:
This story is about a boy named Neftalí who lives in Chili. He has a father that has a my way or the highway attitude. He must do everything his father tells him even though his father tells him that his passions are rediculous. His father gives him harsh punishment if he does not follow his rules. Neftalí still thinks his father is a good father until he forces him and his sister into the ocean everyday to make them stronger, and everyday they almost die. After this, Neftalí is stubborn like his brother and does not care if his beliefs go against his fathers. Neftalí works with his uncle and writes articles speaking out agianst the views of his father and the view of the majority of people. He refuses to give up his writing despite his father's threats and punishments. In the end, Neftalí writes in secret.
Reading Level:
Lexile Measure: 650L
Grade Equivalent: 3.7
Interest Level: 6-8
Electronic Resources:
Pam Munoz Ryan Website
This link leads to Pam Muñoz Ryan's website. This website gives a biography of the author, other books she has written, advice for children and adults, and contact information if you would like to write her. This is a good link for both teachers and students who want to learn more about her and her writing and who would like to write to her.
The Dreamer Teaching Ideas
This link leads to a journal article about ways to reflect and extend learning of students based on this book. These strategies are for students grades five through nine. This would be extremely helpful for teachers.
Teaching Suggestions:
Teachers can use this story to show how different types of writing can fit into one story.
Teachers can use this story to show students a different kind of life and culture.
Suggested Delivery:
I would use this book as a read aloud. There is a lot of dialogue and emotion in the dialogue. This would be good in teaching students expression when reading. I would also read it aloud to discuss the poetry because it is difficult to understand.
Key Vocabulary:
Loitered, Luminescent, Sputtered, Tandem, Ransacked, Invigorating
Reading Strategies:
Before Reading:
Have students read the question on the back of the book and answer what they think it means and how they think it will relate to the story.
During Reading:
Have students discuss how the poetry in each chapter relates and enhances the story.
After Reading:
Students will discuss how Neftalí's life is different from their own.
Writing Activity:
Students will write about how Neftalí changed and the reasons why he changed and how they beileve Neftalí will continue to change. What will happen next in his life?
